7 Quick Takes: Pins, days off, Synod on the Family

1.   and one has a cold.

2.  On the upside of things, my husband can wear shoes again.  He has not worn for shoes for almost three months.  Here's a picture of what was holding his toe together

The skinny silver pins are about 2" long and the fixator about 3" long.  They were sterilized and sealed in a bag.  We are going to give them back to the doctor to donate to doctors in Guatemala.  As much as we thought we'd keep them as a memento, it'll be better if someone else can use them.  

3.  I work in a parish that has many seasonal parishioners.  They are slowly migrating back.  I have to look when I cross the street to go to the church or rectory, there are longer lines at the stores, and more personalities to handle everywhere.  

4.  Liturgical changes question of a mundane nature for your input please.  Back when the changes occurred, we purchased cards for the pew of the prayers that changed.  Now, after almost three years, the cards are looking a bit ragged.  Some are torn and more than a few have been thrown away.  A few parishioners with lots of personality (see #3 above) want the cards replaced.  We (staff) thinks that people can use the missal if they still need to read the prayers.  Care to tell me what your parish is doing?  

5.  Lately I've been considering have different email accounts for different projects or purposes:  shopping, personal, ministry, writing, blogs, but then I think I'd just ignore certain accounts when I didn't want to deal with that area.  So that's not good.  I  get so many emails during the day that I never even open, just delete, delete, delete.  Other emails that are important get lost in the junk mail.  My inbox is getting like my mail box.  Not sure where I'm going with this, so I'll stop now.

6.  Apparently when you are responsible for religious education or faith formation or parish school of religion or whatever the heck you call it you can make up stuff.  Here's the latest I've heard, "RCIT".  I'll buy you  a coffee if you can find it in a Catholic rite book.

7.  I am a bit behind on following the Synod on the Family.  Last night I spent some time on Twitter with #Synod14 and found two good sites to catch up and follow along with:  from Catholic News Service, the Synod  of Bishops on the Family blog and also CRUX.  Enjoy!

Have a wonderful weekend with more Quick Takes!  My weekend has an extra day off!  Yea for me.

Mass Changes

It has been four months and some since we have had the changes in the liturgy.  I have a question for you all you Mass goers out there who notice something strange going on.  What is this strange thing, people are still not getting it!  And they don't seem to notice that they are not getting it!
I go to Mass on Sundays and a few days during the week.  I often see the same people at daily Mass and I hear them, out of step with the rest of us who say "And with your spirit" and "It is right and just."  What is the problem?  Day in, day out do you not notice you are saying something different than the rest of us?  Do you wonder why us poor schlups are using those silly cards to pray the Creed or the Mystery of Faith?  You don't need no stikin' card, you know your prayers.  I'm here to tell you , you don't know them and it is irritating me that you can't get with the program and use the card so the mumbling can stop and we can all be one again.
There, all done, it's off my chest and out of my brain.

Why can't you?

Roman Missal Changes

Yesterday was a momentous day in the American Catholic Church.  We began using the third edition of the Roman Missal as we began our new liturgical year.  Many have argued that instead of focusing on what is really important we are focusing on words instead of issues.  What issues?  It depends on who you are which issues you think the Church is avoiding.  My point is not to go over all of those but rather to give a perspective that says Mass is what is really important.
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi - We pray what we believe, therefore, what is said at Mass is not just a bunch of words randomly put together on a person's whim but truly what we, as Catholics, believe to be true.  Mass is the most important activity we do because we do it in praise and thanksgiving to God.  It is our taste of heaven on earth, when time is suspended and we join with everyone else on earth and in heaven to worship the One who has given us everything. 
Should these words not be different than what we say to our friends over coffee?  Injecting a bit more formality does not mean we cower, but rather that we acknowledge that God is God and we are not.  Remember, we are speaking of communal prayer and worship, not private.  In private, we can pray as we choose.  In community, we need to pray as one body.
And that is one reason why changes were made to the English translation.  We have been out of step with the rest of the world.  My favorite new translation is "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."  Years ago, when attending our parish's Spanish Mass I read that and was so moved; it is just what the centurion said to Jesus.  We said "receive you" for years, using an out of use definition of "receive" as in have a guest over to your house.  Who says "I will be receiving guests today at 2 pm." anymore?  Not anyone who invites me over to visit.
Mother Theresa reminded herself and her sisters always to focus on the "one thing."  Our one thing is Mass.  If we, as Catholics, were to spend more time praying together and do this one thing so well that it would truly be heaven meeting earth, we could solve so many issues.  Even if you do not agree that these changes are right or a good idea or necessary, can we agree to focus on the one thing that can unite us?  The Liturgy offered in praise and thanksgiving, for God has given us everything.